Candidates Tune In To Callers

On A Radio Talk Show, Commissioner Richard Swartz And Challenger Jimmy Conner Tear Into Each Other On Issue After Issue.

September 18, 1992|By Sam Fenton, Of The Sentinel Staff

LEESBURG — It was limited to strained small talk Thursday as County Commissioner Richard Swartz and challenger Jimmy Conner waited in the lobby of radio station WQBQ-AM 1410 for their approaching on-air debate.

But once the microphones were turned on for Bob Green's afternoon Talk Track show, the two tore into each other on issue after issue while responding to call-in questions.

On the commission's decision to build a new criminal justice complex and jail, Conner attacked Swartz for voting to acquire land and approve funding for the county's third courthouse, which the challenger said was unnecessary.

Swartz, the District 3 incumbent, countered that he opposed the initial plan for the justice complex, but voted to finance it after fellow commissioners had contractually obligated the county to build it.

''I've been in that jail'' to tour it, Conner said. ''It's a nice place, like a Holiday Inn. It's better than some retirees' homes and some of our schools.''

In response to a question on a pamphlet mailed out by Conner that a caller said unfairly portrayed his opponent as a coddler of criminals, Swartz suggested Conner was using the material to evade issues of real concern to Lake residents.

''Where does Jimmy stand on the county's comprehensive growth-management plan?'' Swartz asked. ''Where does he stand on impact fees and doing away with the wetlands ordinance?''

When discussion turned to the County Commission's adoption of a children's services council, Swartz defended his yes vote.

''One of the best ways to stop rising costs for jails is to meet the needs of our children before it becomes too late,'' he said.

Conner applauded Swartz's nomination of the Rev. Don Rushing of Tavares to be a member of the children's council because of his conservative views, and appeared to soften his previous opposition to the agency designed to help youngsters.

''I'd be willing to look at it and evaluate it,'' Conner said.

Another caller asked Swartz, the commission's most staunch environmentalist, why he never tested property under his Tavares bicycle shop for contamination when he discovered underground gas tanks.

Swartz said he had drained the tanks and filled them with concrete, thereby complying with every state Department of Environmental Regulation rule in existence at the time.

''The DER inspected the area,'' Swartz said, ''and gave me a form that there is no evidence of contamination.''

Swartz repeatedly challenged Conner to state his views on the fight over Lake's controversial growth-management plan, currently being challenged by the state as allowing far too much development in rural areas and the Green Swamp.

As the show closed, Conner said he would support impact fees on new construction, a view Swartz has long advocated.

But while Swartz was adamant that he would vote against high density developments in the Green Swamp and the Sugarloaf Mountain area in south Lake County, Conner was less clear.

''Growth should be directed toward urban centers,'' he said, ''but you have to have a balance and consider property rights.''

Conner refused to say how he would vote on upcoming development proposals that would put 16,000 residents in the rural Sugarloaf Mountain area.

''I'm not going to prejudge that,'' he said.

The winner of the Oct. 1 Swartz-Conner GOP runoff wins a four-year term; no Democrat is running for the seat.